Tag: Palestine

‘They think it’s all over …’


Vigil 105 makes it clear it ‘ain’t over yet’

December 2025

The title comes from the 1966 World Cup and in that case the final goal sealed the match. Today, in Gaza the privation and death continue but at a lower level. Vigil 105 was well attended with around 30 including some visitors from Portsmouth. A video, produced by Peter Gloyns can be seen here. We continue because injustice continues, and Israel continues to oppress the Palestinians seemingly without let.

As we noted last week, attention has shifted back to Ukraine which is suffering a steady bombardment from Russia with no realistic or reasonable likelihood of peace on the horizon. From President Putin’s point of view, he seems to have the American ambassador Steve Witkoff where he wants him, the Europeans are too weak and divided to do anything so he can continue the war of attrition for some time to come.

Risk of illusion

The ‘ceasefire’ ‘in Gaza has now been in place for 2 months and since that time, 360 Palestinians have died, 70 of whom were children. Amnesty alleges that Israel is still committing genocide in Gaza but the international attention has diminished much to the relief of the Israeli government. It contends that the very term ‘ceasefire’ ‘risks creating a dangerous illusion that life in Gaza is returning to normal’.

Israel has created a ‘green zone’ which contains most of the arable land and any Palestinian entering it is likely to be shot. The Palestinians have been left with around 40% of their previous territory. The good news is that the number of trucks entering has increased although Unwra is still banned.

The plain fact is that misery still persists with little sign of a realistic end. Negotiations take place but without Palestinians being present. They are still being killed albeit at a lower rate. They share with Ukraine the fact of being a nuisance as far as President Trump and the Americans are concerned. The master deal maker – allegedly – wants the problem solved and ideally for the Palestinians to somehow disappear so the real estate development can start as though no one was there before. Negotiations take place between tyrants with those affected not present.

To note that the local Member of Parliament, Mr John Glen, has never attended a vigil nor referred to them in his weekly column in the local paper. He is reported to be a member of the Conservative Friends of Israel group. We discussed in a previous post the unedifying remarks by the other local MP, Mr Danny Kruger.

Church Times article

Readers might like read a piece in the Church Times by the Dean of Salisbury, The Very Revd Nicholas Papadopulos, DL who attends the vigil from time to time. A report of a talk given by the Dean can be seen here.

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Impact of Trump’s Peace Deal on Gaza’s Aid Crisis


Uncertain ‘peace’ in Gaza. 103rd vigil takes place

November 2025

Cold, wet, dark and miserable was the setting for our 103rd vigil with around 25 in attendance. Gaza has dropped out of the news now that there is supposed to be a peace deal and attention has switched to the terrible events in Ukraine. Drone and rocket attacks are increasing in intensity with little sign of an end despite another of President Trump’s one-sided peace deals which has to be agreed by this Thursday.

Both Gaza and Ukraine demonstrate similar characteristics namely, Trump’s seeming admiration for tyrants and bullies. The Gaza peace process looks precarious and one report suggests 310 Palestinians have been killed in the past 6 weeks. Aid is still only entering in small quantities.

One major effect of the peace deal is a significant drop off in aid. One charity has reported a 51% fall in contributions and another used to sent $5000 per week now can only send $2000. Other charities report similar falls.

Other reports to emerge in recent weeks concern the appalling conditions Palestinians are held in. Some are in an underground prison never to see daylight for months at a time. The prison in question is Rakefet.

Sources: BBC, B’Tselem, Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, Guardian.

A video of the vigil thanks to Peter Gloyns.

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Letter published on the vigil


A letter was published this week in the Salisbury Journal on line

October 2025

“There is a group of people in Salisbury who have given their time to spend 97 Saturdays [actually 98] in a row standing outside the library at 5 pm calling for peace for all those in the Middle East, particularly for the people in Gaza. I am proud of these, mainly elderly, citizens for standing quietly and with dignity, to bear witness to the horrifying events we have seen every day on TV and on our phones and to call for it to stop.

“Last week at the Vigil, I heard a passer-by ask why it was all old people standing there? Perhaps it’s

because they are a generation who lived closer to World War 2 with parents who were directly affected by the senseless horror of war. Perhaps they can imagine what it means when UNICEF reports that ‘an average of 28 children are killed in Gaza every day, the equivalent of an entire classroom’. Perhaps they just have more wisdom than the rest of us and know “hate breeds hate”, as one of their posters reads.

“This is not a demonstration but rather a silent vigil. As one of the group says, “silence is more powerful than words”. There are no chants and no arguments. As the weeks have passed, more people attend, and sometimes there have been more than 50 people there. Now the world waits as we hope the fragile ceasefire will hold. I think that the group will continue to bear witness to the actions on all sides. We hope for a just peace and safety for all.

“The group would love to have more younger members. Growing our numbers is still important even with the ceasefire, as the situation is not resolved. Our government must take notice that UK citizens want it to fulfil its pledge to support a viable Palestinian State.

“On November 1, the 100th Peace Vigil will take place. Will you join us outside the library at 5 pm and give 30 minutes of your time?“

Sarah Nicholson Barbour

See Facebook page: Sarum Concern for Israel / Palestine

See Instagram: @salisburypeacevigils

The letter was published in the print edition on 23 October.

There is a really good YouTube video of a discussion of the current situation with Daniel Levy and a journalist from Declassified UK. Levy points to many failings in the current process including the point that any idea of a Palestine state is just an exercise in creating a kind of Bantustan: the homeland for black people creating by the then South African state as part of their Apartheid policy. This is of a piece with the Apartheid policy operating in Israel and recognising that they are operating a colonial enterprise. He enjoins us not to be distracted from the real issues and the need for accountability to take place. Politicians are all too keen to say ‘move on’ these days. He doesn’t think much of Tony Blair’s mooted role in nation building.

A letter critical of Israel’s actions in Gaza written by Jewish people has been published. They say the ‘unconscionable actions by Israel amount to genocide’.

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97th vigil


The 97th vigil in Salisbury – peace at last in the region?

October 2025

This vigil, the 97th, took place after ceasefire and hostage release deal was agreed a few days ago. The remaining hostages will be released very soon – maybe tomorrow (Sunday) – and a significant number of Palestinians will be released from Israel jails. The bombing appears to have stopped and thousands are returning to what’s left of their homes in north Gaza. The IDF has pulled back and now occupies less of Gaza than recently.

With the ceasefire underway and negotiations continuing concerning the 20 point plan initiated by the Americans, we wondered, as we said in our last post, whether to continue. A kind of answer was delivered at this vigil when well over 40 attended with a number of new faces, and 29 cars and other vehicles, sounded their horns in recognition.

A video of the vigil is available here produced by Peter Gloyns to whom we are grateful.

Needless to say we wish the process well and hope the negotiations bear fruit. We would like nothing more than to stay home on a Saturday evening. Will it last? The first thing to note is that it was forced on both sides by the Trump administration and their shift in tone followed the bombing of Qatar where they have their major Middle Eastern base.

Peace will last if both sides see it as being in their best interests to do so. It is not clear that is the case and there are extreme positions on each side. Israel has suffered in the conflict with a rising deficit, low growth of around 1% and a large exodus of skilled people. Since the tech sector is a major part of their economy, this is of concern. Foreign direct investment is falling and the shekel is weak. It is close to becoming a pariah state as witnessed at the UN with the hall emptying when Netanyahu arrived to speak. Despite this, the resolve to destroy Hamas and prevent a Palestinian state is a powerful force.

Hamas has been seriously weakened and Iran is not at present able to offer the same level of support to the various terrorist groups in the region.

We will continue with the vigils in the hope that the ceasefire continues. At present there seems no prospect of a Palestinian state.

The Salisbury MP, Mr John Glen, has never appeared at these vigils nor mentioned them in his weekly column in the local paper. He is listed as being a member of the well funded Conservative Friends of Israel group.

Image: The South African

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Vigil today?


October 2025

With the peace deal in place, we wondered if it was necessary or appropriate to hold a vigil today 11th October. Surely, it might be argued, the fighting has stopped and the IDF has withdrawn from parts of Gaza. Might this be an end to the 2 years of hostilities and some kind of peace can now take place? Can we not be optimistic rather than hold a vigil for a cause which is now history?

Of course we can hope that this is a lasting end to the violence. With President Trump essentially twisting the Israeli government’s arms, there will be a stop to the ceaseless bombing and parking loaded people carriers next to apartment blocks and blowing them up.

But, will it last? Israel has no intention of allowing a Palestinian state. Elements in the Knesset want Gaza to be flattened and its inhabitants to be sent elsewhere. Settlers will continue with their nightly violence and killing of Arab and Palestinians living in the West Bank. Will Trump stay engaged in the coming months to ensure the two sides stay on course? Will Hamas quietly put down their guns and stop sending rockets over to Israel? Aid is to be allowed in but will that continue? And we must keep in mind that Gaza is one vast prison with no port, no boats allowed into the Mediterranean and with no airfield. All access in and out tightly controlled by Israel with queues sometimes lasting hours for no apparent reason. And Gaza is now a wasteland with water treatment plants destroyed, hospitals reduced to rubble, and agricultural land made infertile.

These are huge barriers to be overcome and overcome they might with goodwill. But is there goodwill? Or do the hatreds run too deep?

So while we welcome the ceasefire and hope that it will be sustained if only because of sustained and outside pressure, whether it will last is not at all uncertain.

We will be holding a vigil today, 11th starting at 5pm as usual.

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Ninety fifth vigil


95th vigil well attended. Nearly 66,000 dead in Gaza

Video added 28th.

Over 45 came to the 95th vigil and a number of passers-by stopped to ask what it was about or take photos. It has been a momentous week with speeches in the UN General Assembly. Mahmoud Abbas was not allowed to attend in person because the US would not give him a visa. President Trump berated the UN in all manner of ways. Perhaps the most surprising event was the almost complete walk out by delegates when Benjamin Netanyahu arrived to speak. The UK and the US did not leave.

A video of the vigil can be seen here thanks to Peter Gloyns for producing it.

Netanyahu condemned the recent decision by Britain and others to recognise a Palestinian state as ‘sheer madness, it’s insane and we won’t do it’ adding that recognition by several other countries is “disgraceful. The speech was transmitted to residents of Gaza through massive loudspeakers.

An Istanbul news outlet reports that at least 65,926 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since October 2023, the Health Ministry said on Saturday. A ministry statement said that 77 bodies were brought to hospitals in the last 24 hours, while 265 people were injured, taking the number of injuries to 167,783 in the Israeli onslaught. “Many victims are still trapped under the rubble and on the roads as rescuers are unable to reach them,” it added.

The BBC has reported that the Allenby Bridge between the West Bank and Jordan has been closed with no reason given. It is the only crossing which leaves Palestinians stranded.

Journalists banned from Gaza.

Israel does not want the world to report on the events in Gaza and has banned international journalists from going there. Only Palestinian journalists can report and more of them have been killed or murdered there than in any other conflict. Three news organisations [BBC, Reuters, Associated Press and Agence France Presse] have produced a short video, narrated by David Dimbleby, arguing for access by the world’s press. Israel is wont to claim that footage and reporting of their activities and claims of genocide and starvation are ‘Hamas lies’ and similar remarks. Allowing journalists to report would allow the world to see for themselves. This 2 minute video is recommended.

No sign of the local MP, Mr John Glen nor any mention in his weekly column in the Salisbury Journal of the previous 94 vigils held in his constituency. He is reported to be a member of the Conservative Friends of Israel group, thought to be the largest lobby group in Parliament.

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Palestinian state recognised


UK recognises the state of Palestine

September 2025

Today, 21 September, the UK government announces that it is to recognise the state of Palestine. It has joined the majority of countries around the world and joins Canada and Australia who did the same today. The decision has come after months of hesitation and was delayed until after the visit to the UK by President Trump who does not agree with it. To an extent, the government’s hand was forced. The disproportionate response to the horrific attack by Hamas on October 7th with the destruction of huge parts of Gaza, a death toll now over 65,000 many or whom are women and children and the deliberate introduction of siege conditions leading to more deaths by starvation, has left the government little option but to take action. Public opinion has also been a factor and the images of emaciated children have horrified many.

Britain’s decision is more than symbolic since the 1917 Balfour Declaration was instrumental in the creation of the state of Israel. The declaration was vague however since although it recognised that Arabs and Palestinians already lived there and said ‘nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine‘ it made no provision for protecting their claims or rights.

Some argue this is symbolic since with American support and ever increasing violence by settlers in the West Bank, the prospects of an actual state on the ground are receding. Some suggest that this means the conditions for statehood as set out in the 1933 Montevideo convention are not achievable. The Israeli government has rejected the decision saying ‘it categorically rejects the one-sided declaration of a Palestinian state by the UK and some other countries.’ It claims the decision does not promote peace. A spokesman for the British Board of Deputies interviewed on the BBC was critical of the decision and said it would cause deep dismay across the Jewish community in the UK. It says it is a reward for Hamas violence.

Implications

What are the implications? It will take some while for the implications to percolate through the claims and counter claims of the various political interests. It will enable the Palestinians to open an Embassy in the UK which will improve their status. It will enjoy diplomatic rights which will be significant. Up until recently, the Israelis have enjoyed almost uncritical support from governments but its continued violence in the West Bank and Gaza is seeing that support melt away.

It is unlikely to bring a peace deal any closer. Wars end because a kind of exhaustion sets in and the population goes weary of war-time restrictions and the loss of soldiers. This shows no sign of applying in Israel. Seemingly limitless weapons supplies from America and a huge military advantage in weapons and materiel mean any exhaustion is a long way off. IDF deaths are modest 464 [Jewish News Syndicate, 18 September]. The far right members of the Knesset such as Bezalel Smotrich see Gaza as a ‘property bonanza’ and claim the ‘demolition phase is over’.

Recognition will make it harder for the UK government to continue its support of Israel – open and covert – with RAF overflights for example, and ignore the plight of the Palestinians. It may even see some more robust reporting from the BBC whose lamentable performance has slowly begun to change.

Amnesty has said it is a ‘hollow gesture’ and without meaningful action to end the genocide, end violence in the West Bank and ending the Apartheid system against the Palestinian people. Real action needs to be taken to end arms sales and divest from companies which continue to sell arms to Israel. A report by CAAT sets out the details of arms export to Israel.

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94th vigil


Ninety fourth vigil in Salisbury

September 2025

The latest vigil attracted around 25 attendees, lower than recently but passer-by interest was encouraging. Only one person in a car blasting his horn and made a disobliging gesture. Over 65,200 are now dead as a result of IDF bombing but the recently launched ground offensive in Gaza City is likely to see a rise in that number.

Tomorrow (Sunday) may see the British government come out with its long awaited support for a Palestinian state the subject of discussion with President Trump at his recent 2 day visit to the UK last week. We may amend this post tomorrow in the light of that.

Al Jazeera report that starvation deaths are now at 440 including 147 children.

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Sport and rights


Major cycle races affected by protesters. Last stage of Vuelta abandoned

September 2025

La Vuelta a Espana is the tour of Spain cycle race and a major event in the cycling season. It follows the Tour de France and the tour of Italy, the Giro d’Italia. These are keenly watched by millions of fans and the teams are sponsored by commercial enterprises and countries. The last stage of the Vuelta had to be abandoned last week because of street violence. Cycling is fairly unique since races take place on ordinary streets and members of the public can see the cyclists close to.

The problem is one of the teams is sponsored by Israel Premier Tech and its presence is causing major headaches. There are threats to next year’s Tour de France which starts in Barcelona (there is an increasing tendency for these tours to start outside the home country). Indeed, the Giro started in Israel in 2018.

There is hardly any need to explain the problems with the war in Gaza, set to intensify with the attacks on Gaza city, leading to the deaths of over 64,000 Palestinians. Although the sponsor is a commercial firm, the website makes clear the deep involvement of the Israeli government and Netanyahu himself. It is a national team.

The boss of IPT, Sylvan Adams, is hard line in his approach to Gaza and is quoted as saying ‘Israel should finish the job in Gaza’. He calls the protesters ‘terrorists’.

It is a major problem for race organisers since policing the roadside for three weeks is all but impossible. They are reluctant to ban or uninvite IPT because they are worried about being accused of being anti-Semitic. IPT is also extremely wealthy. Tour de France winner Chris Froome is on the team. The risk of disruption is high as we saw in Madrid. If the war in Gaza continues, protests are likely to grow and become more frequent.

It raises the question of sport and politics since countries like Israel are closely involved in teams as a means to promote themselves. Arab nations are spending billions engaged in the same thing. In the communist era, states like East Germany and Russia used sport to promote their ideology. The close involvement is a problem in times of war however. The involvement of IPT is only likely to intensify protests: there were two crashes in the Vuelta and two riders had to retire. The whole question of sport and politics is clearly an increasing issue especially as money is so important to success.

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Rain does not deter vigil


91st vigil attracts strong attendance despite rain

August 2025

The situation in Gaza gets ever worse with 63,000 now dead many of whom women and children. Around 330 have now died as a result of starvation and this number is set to grow. Peace looks a long way off and from the Israeli perspective, with American and Trump’s unqualified support, they are able to continue without let or hindrance. American support has even extended to banning members of the PLO from attending the UN.

The president of the PLO, Mahmoud Abbas and 80 other officials have had their visas revoked. The reason is because the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio blamed them for undermining peace efforts and for ‘seeking the unilateral recognition of a conjectural Palestinian state’. We seem to have entered a looking glass world as far as the Americans are concerned. The Palestinians are far from being as white as snow but they are far, far weaker than Israel who have all the weapons and materiel needed for the campaign of destruction in Gaza.

On the subject of weapons, the Defence and Security Equipment International exhibition to be held in London starting shortly will not feature a stand by the Israeli government. Their arms firms will still be there however. The UK government has decided not to allow a delegation to attend. “The Israeli government’s decision to further escalate its military operation in Gaza is wrong,” a UK government spokesperson said. “As a result, we can confirm that no Israeli government delegation will be invited to attend DSEI UK 2025.“

The BBC coyly refers to the exhibition using the word ‘defence’ and there will no doubt be defence firms there. But it is much more about our arms industry, heavily promoted and subsidised by our government, and which sells arms to many of the world’s troubled countries thus aiding in the carnage. The government claims it has ‘robust controls’ but with the big rise in open licences, this is a dubious claim. The fact that they were happy to allow Israel to attend until yesterday, only days before opening, speaks volumes. We should never forget the victims in these conflicts are women, children and the vulnerable. British firms profit, millions suffer. The extent of UK support for Israel is hard to quantify. RAF flights over Gaza continue the purpose of which is unclear.

There is still no sign of the local MP Mr John Glen and he did not mention the vigils in his weekly Salisbury Journal column which focused on his work getting to know people in his constituency. He is a member of the Friends of Israel lobby group in the Commons.

    A video of the vigil, attended by around 40, is available here courtesy of Peter Gloyns.

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